


Raindrop Prelude

by MintyEye



Series: Secret Santa Gifts [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Minor Injuries, Vampires, one major injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21927190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintyEye/pseuds/MintyEye
Summary: MC is invited to magenta to test a game, however she easily becomes distracted by the man who wears a mask that covers half of his face. There's just something about him, something that's off.
Relationships: Choi Saeran & Main Character, Choi Saeran/Main Character, Choi Saeran/Reader
Series: Secret Santa Gifts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579171
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49





	1. A Game

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello!
> 
> This is a Secret Santa gift for my dear friend @Seetenou on Instagram, please follow them for amazing art!  
> Friendly reminder that if you're interested in random posts or updates on my writing, my Instagram is @Minty.eye. 
> 
> Thank you in advance for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

“Hello, my name is Ray. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.” he bowed, holding his hand out for MC to take, as though she were stepping out of a grand carriage, one that was fitting of a princess. 

MC took his hand, blindfolded as a requirement for entering this place. She could see nothing but darkness, a little light seeping through the blindfold causing the sight to appear red in color through the corner of her eye. She took the hand that was held out to her, her own hand could immediately feel the fabric of a glove. She was gently pulled away from the car and into a building, the bitter coolness in the air after entering contrasted the summer heat from outside considerably. It was almost refreshing, the chill reminding her of Autumn.

They walked for what felt like ages, the man who had called her occasionally trying to talk with her, or talking with somebody else on their way to her room. Though, his voice was quiet, almost weak in tone. It was soft, something she wasn’t expecting from somebody who developed video games. They stopped abruptly, MC almost tripping and falling onto Ray, who was unlocking a door. She could hear the click of the door lock, and in the room they went. When they both were in the room, Ray turned to close the door behind her, and then walking closer to her so he could take the blindfold off. 

When it was removed, MC opened her eyes, only to be greeted with a burst of colors. Soft shades of pinks and purples lined a bedroom that looked fit for a princess. The bed was large, and located in the center of the room, with a floral carpet decorating the floor. In the corner was a table with two chairs and a table, a glass vase with a singular pink rose living in it centered on the table. Windows lined the right side of the room, giving her the perfect view of a garden fit for a palace. It was like a fairytale made into reality, she gasped in surprise. 

And then she saw Ray, who had moved to stand in front of her. He was a little taller than her, with snow white hair dyed pink at the tips, and bright mint colored eyes. He had a soft smile, and a gaze that screamed innocence and purity. The only thing that stood out against his outfit was the singular blue rose on his lapel, contrasting the magenta of his coat. The blue rose, a flower of mystery. MC stared at it for far longer than she had anticipated. The rest of his outfit looked like it came straight out of the 18th century. Underneath the long, magenta coat was a dark gray waistcoat, and a ruffled shirt. Around his neck was a cravat, which was larger than any she’s ever seen. 

“Ah, I hope I don’t look too strange. Please make yourself as comfortable as possible here.” He spoke apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck with one of his gloved hands. 

It was then that she noticed just how pale his skin was. It was almost as white as a piece of paper, contrary to the color of his gloves, which were a shade of dark gray. There were dark bags under his eyes to top it all off, much more prominent with his pale skin. They stood out, he looked so exhausted. His posture alone could have expressed that exhaustion. A hand on his chest, he was still slightly hunched over as though he could fall back at any given moment.

“Are you sick? You look so pale…” MC couldn’t help but ask, completely ignoring what he had said prior. Everything about his appearance raised the question in her mind, and it had to be said.

“Ah… no. Do I look that bad?” His face fell a bit, as though he were disappointed or even sadded. MC had immediately raised her hands and shook them in an effort to emphasize that she didn’t mean to offend or sadden him that way.

“No! No, not at all. I think you look fine!” She exclaimed after him. She sighed a breath of relief when his expression went back to the way it was before, as though nothing had happened just a minute ago.

Everything about this man was odd, yet MC’s own curiosity was just begging to know more. The person in question stood in silence for a brief second, his own train of thought derailed after MC suddenly asking him if he was sick. The silence was broken almost immediately after.

“Do you remember why you’re here?” He asked her, walking away from her line of sight and sitting down on the chair closest to the wall. He crossed his legs, his elbow leaning against the table, and an eyebrow raised at her questioningly.

“You wanted me to test a game you’re creating, if I remember correctly.” She sat down across from him, on the chair closest to the door. They were facing each other, both staring intensely. 

“You’re right! I don’t hate smart girls. Now, where do I begin?” He cheered her on for a brief second, almost looking amused that she remembered.

“Ah right! You should know, the AI I created for the game are incredibly realistic. Each have their own flaws, and they’ll be super suspicious of you when you join their chatroom. Don’t tell them about me or this place, and if they ask who sent you, say Rika did.” Ray explained to MC briefly. The description of what was going to happen was vague, but enough that MC would be able to understand. She nodded, before asking a question of her own back at him.

“Rika? Who’s that?” Her tone was curious, there was no sense of harm behind the words. Ray only smiled more in amusement.

“Somebody important to the AIs. Don’t worry about her.” He responded quickly. That was all MC was able to get out of him, it wasn’t helpful at all.

“Oh, one more thing. I need your phone to download the app. Do you mind handing it to me?” He held his hand out on the table, waiting for her phone to be placed into it.

She stared at him suspiciously for a moment. It was for a second, but Ray was still able to catch it before she changed her expression back into something more neutral. MC took her phone out of her pocket, turning it on and entering the passcode before handing it to him. He held it tightly in one hand while he took off the glove on his other hand, typing something into the phone.

“If you try anything stupid with my phone-” There was a slight beep, quiet, MC had almost missed it. The app was downloaded completely and ready to use.

“I’ll be on my way now, I hope we meet again soon.” he stood up, handing her back her phone before putting the glove back on his hand again. She didn’t miss how his nails looked, they were bitten.

“Oh, leaving so soon?” Once the phone was handed back to her, she immediately looked down to the screen, looking at it carefully. She found an app that wasn’t there before, a messenger app that wasn’t even in the app store. It was a complete mystery how it got there.

“Yes, I’m afraid I have a lot of work to do. Good luck testing!” He opened the door to the hallway and left, closing the door behind him gently.

She watched as he left, making sure he was completely gone before opening the suspicious app in question. A black screen appeared, green lines of code flowing down before she was entered into a chatroom with multiple people talking about their day. As the chat continued, she received a text message from Ray using the same app.

So this was the app she was expected to test, and these people were the AI.


	2. Phantom

Days have passed since the testing began, with no word from Ray. It was as though he was a ghost, appearing once, never to be seen again. MC’s wandered the floor she was allowed on aimlessly looking for him, occasionally asking somebody in robes if they’ve seen him that day. She’d look out at the garden from her window in desperation, hoping he’d be sitting at the fountain, or tending to the flowers, but he was never there. 

It wasn’t until late at night, near the midnight hour, that she finally saw him.

Walking through the halls again, MC had noticed just how different they looked compared to when it was day. During daylight, the halls would be filled with light streaming in through the windows, illuminating the bright red carpet and white walls with blue decor. Some men in robes would be walking down the halls as well, paying no mind to the various glass vases on small tables near the windows. During the night, everything was dark, almost pitch black. The only light in the halls coming from the windows, where moonlight beamed down upon the floor, illuminating the path enough that she was able to see the floor. The previous bright red carpet had a blue tint to it now.

Taking a right turn down a path, she found herself bumping into someone. They immediately wrapped their arms around her in an attempt to keep her from hitting the ground. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with two mint eyes, looking at her with surprise. There was a white mask covering half of his face, his outfit almost as black as the night sky. It looked like something straight out of a movie. 

“Oh! I didn’t see you there, I’m sorry.” MC had apologized. He looked familiar, but the darkness of the halls prevented her from completely making out who it was. When she was able to stand straight, the person removed their arms from around her, promptly backing away.

“Oh, no, it's my fault… I wasn’t watching where I was going.” he responded, apologizing for a mistake that wasn’t his.

Just based on that same soft voice, MC knew who it was. His disguise had almost tricked her into believing he was somebody else, but the mint eyes and soft voice had immediately distinguished the man as Ray. The person she was desperately looking for.

“Ray..? Is that you?” She asked him, just to confirm that her suspicion was right. The man backed away from her just slightly, one arm across his chest, his hand holding the other arm tightly. 

“Yes, did you need something from me...?” He backed away further until he was standing in front of a window. 

The moonlight shone on him, revealing his features just a bit more than when he was standing in the dark. The white hair with pink tips was combed differently than before, it was like he was a completely different person from when they had first met. He looked just a little more serious, which was different from the innocent stare from when they first met. 

“Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in days.” She looked at him with a frustrated stare. There was a hint of longing in her tone, being left alone in a giant mansion with people she didn’t recognize unsettled her. The only person she knew was Ray, and he wasn’t there. 

Ray had shifted from where he was standing, looking away from her. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He repeated the same thing before he raised a gloved hand, his index finger pointing up.

“I had to work, the savior wasn’t happy with my previous performance..” He tried to explain casually. The hand he raised previously was now on the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously. MC had backed away from him to look at him closely.

He looked so much paler with the moonlight shining on him, almost as though he were dead. MC pushed the thought out of her mind, shivering at the mere idea of it.

“The savior?” MC had questioned him, unknowing of who the savior was. 

“Oh, somebody very important. You’ll meet her one day, she’s very kind.” Ray spoke highly of her, as though she were some form of boss, one that treated him fairly and with respect.

But the bags under his eyes, the aura of exhaustion and sadness coming from him behind that smiling mask of his, told MC otherwise. She had to watch out for the savior, she might prove to be difficult.

“I’ll take your word for it. I need to go back to my room now, when will I be able to see you again?” MC had yawned, it was still incredibly late.

Past midnight, and there the two of them were, talking in the halls of Magenta, a place of dreams. MC pondered over her own question for a while, waiting for a response from the male. He seemed quiet for a moment, thinking to himself as well.

“At night, you will always find me at night. I work during the day.” He answered softly, turning his back to her.

“If you say so.” She turned away, walking back to her room.

The outfit he wore suited him, the way the white mask hid his face against the black color of the suit. He was almost invisible to the naked eye during the dark hours, watching from the shadows but never engaging in conversation. He was a phantom, one that MC has come to appreciate little by little. Why he worked late into the night was a mystery. Why he was walking around alone that late in itself was a mystery. His entire being was a mystery, one that would never be solved in due time.

She opened the door to her room, closing it behind her and falling onto her bed. She buried herself under the bedsheets and fell asleep shortly after, her mind lost in thought after that odd encounter with Ray.


	3. The Garden

Every time she saw Ray, she noticed how he stared at her, as though he were starving. She would bump into him at the halls during the night, watching as he’d smile awkwardly behind his mask and immediately turn away, retreating back to his workplace. She’d raise an eyebrow, her mind running a mile a minute with questions, but she’d ignore them. Turning and walking away from the scene, laying back down and falling asleep. And when she woke up, he was never to be found. No matter where she looked, all that remained were clues that he had in fact been there earlier.

Birds chirped outside, the sound barely making its way into her room. The sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the room in a bright yellow color. MC shifted in the bed, covering her face with an arm in an attempt to block the light out. She realized it was pointless and sat up, her hair messy and unkempt. Her expression showed fatigue, it was too early for her to be awake after having stayed up so late earlier. She rolled out of bed, walking around her room and grabbing a change of clothes before promptly getting ready for the day.

By the time she was done, she was ready to go out, everything about her looking neater than when she had just woken up. She stood straight, walking out of the room and into the long hallway, turning in the direction of the garden. Through two glass doors she went, and now she was outside, her vision filled with nothing but flowers, their sweet aroma filling the air. She walked down the dirt path until she came face to face with a fountain. She sat on the wall of it, looking at the different kinds of flowers around her. 

She got so entranced by each flower, that she didn’t notice when a particular someone sat next to her, an umbrella in his hand. When she finally noticed him, she scooted away and turned to look at him completely, eyes wide in shock. The umbrella was black, as dark as the suit he wore at night. He was back to wearing that familiar magenta coat, the gold outline shining brightly in the sun. He wasn’t smiling, but there wasn’t a frown either. He looked at peace, but his emotions were unreadable. The true mystery was why he was carrying an umbrella.

“Ray..? I thought you were working.” MC spoke to him with a tone of surprise laced into her voice. She wasn’t expecting to have company this early in the morning.

“I thought a walk through the garden would’ve been nice… I miss seeing these flowers in the daylight.” He stood up from the fountain and walked towards a rose bush. He caressed the pink petals of one rose so delicately, as though it were made of glass.

“Do you not see them in the daylight often?” MC had asked him quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace she was witnessing from him now. He still held onto that umbrella tightly, making sure it was covering him in shadow as though his life depended on it. 

His expression was different from when she’d bump into him in the halls at night. From a tense and averted gaze, to one of pure adoration towards the flowers and his surroundings, a serene sight to behold. Even she felt relaxed just by looking at him. 

“No... I only come out at night. This is the first time I’ve come out here during the day in a while..” He used his free hand to rub the back of his neck nervously again. He does that a lot, MC noticed. His tone of speaking was soft, quieter than it was at night. 

“Why do you carry that umbrella with you? It’s not raining, and it’s not too hot either.” MC couldn’t resist but to ask him more questions. Ray looked away from her for a brief second, before focusing his gaze back on her.

“I don’t really like the sun..” He mumbled. It was a vague answer, but MC wasn’t done there. 

“Why? You’re so pale, wouldn’t the sun do you some good?” She pressed him further. He backed away just slightly, growing tense at the amount of questions she was asking him. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again.

“Well, yes… but I really shouldn’t..” He looked away again, this time not looking back. His hands were trembling, the umbrella he was holding shaking with them. His face was slightly flushed pink, he looked like he was scared.

Out of nowhere, he held the umbrella tightly and ran away, leaving a confused MC alone in the garden, wondering why he had just ran away like that. She held a hand out in the direction he was going in, but he didn’t turn around and come back. She put the hand down, looking in disbelief.

“What is he hiding?” She mumbled to herself quietly, still looking in the direction he had ran. He was long gone by now, but the question still remained in her head.

She turned around and walked back to her room, where she promptly opened up her phone and logged into the messenger app. Another conversation between the AIs was happening as she logged in. It was perfect timing, being late would to her no good. She joined the chatroom and began to type her responses.

The thought of Ray running after vaguely answering her questions had never escaped her mind, and the thought would only grow louder as night fell. The clock chimed 1 AM by the time she was finished with her last chatroom. Her mind was still wide awake, keeping her awake with it. She yawned and stood up from the chair she was sitting in, opening the door to the hallway and looking both ways before wandering out.

She was going to find Ray tonight. There were too many questions that needed answering, and she wasn’t going to rest until she found out.


	4. Nightmare

After leaving her room, she walked down the hall in the direction of Ray’s room. The halls were once again nearing pitch black, the only source of light coming from the windows. She was more careful this time, making sure to stay vigilant in case she heard footsteps, knowing who it would be if she did. By the time she made it to his room, there were no footprints to be heard. Though, what she did hear, was a soft cry, coming from his room. She immediately turned to face the door, waiting in silence to hear it again for confirmation. 

She heard it again, this time it was just a little quieter. She held out a hand and grabbed the golden doorknob, twisting it, and pushing the door open. A soft stream of moonlight entered the room through the crack in the door, illuminating the path to his bed, where a dark silhouette was laid, curled into itself and trembling just slightly. She squinted, unable to make out the figure, assuming it was Ray.

“Ray..?” She spoke quietly from the doorframe. There was no response, only the soft whimper of someone who was in distress but didn’t want to make it known. She moved a little closer to him, worry and concern etched into her expression.

When she grew close enough, she could immediately see Ray just a little clearer. Even in the dark, his white hair stood out above all else, though, it was far messier now than she was used to seeing it. She looked at him further, her eyes desperately trying to adjust to the darkness of the room. He was under the blanket, yet it appeared as though he hadn’t even tried taking off his clothes. The black outfit was still on, and the pearly white mask covering half of his face had not been removed. He was shivering, yet his face was flushed as though he were feverish. She placed a hand on his forehead, expecting to feel the heat of the fever.

But all that her hand was greeted with was icy cold, almost as if he were frozen. 

He mumbled a few words to himself, slurred and hard to understand. He was dreaming a nightmare, and he had nobody to comfort him. MC stared at him with a sad expression, not having seen Ray like this before. She shook him lightly in an attempt to wake him up, yet he only recoiled in response. Curling in on himself further, like he was afraid of something. Her worried frown only grew deeper. 

She slipped off her shoes and walked over to the other side of the bed. Slowly, she sat on the other edge, furthest away from Ray, who was shaking the bed with his trembling. She crawled over to where he was curled up, careful not to wake him up and cause him to panic. His back was facing her, he was so close. She wrapped an arm around him, placing a hand on his chest and pulling him close. His head was now resting on her chest, she could only hope this would calm him down.

Though, something was off. She knew it the minute she had placed a hand on his chest, resulting in her breath catching and her eyes going wide. She was trying her best to stay calm despite the situation.

She couldn’t feel his heartbeat. There was nothing.

She immediately backed away slightly from him, shaking him in the process. He woke up, breathing heavily, putting his own hand on his chest in an attempt to calm himself. It took him a moment to wake up, looking to his right and seeing MC next to him. He looked away, before realizing immediately who she was and looking again, sitting up immediately. She was looking right at him with those dark brown eyes, though this time, they were filled with fear.

“MC? What are you doing here?” His voice was rough, he sounded breathless, similar to how a man would speak after running a mile marathon. 

His breathing was still irregular, he was panicked, but so was MC. They were both scared of each other, their gazes were questioning, only, they received no answer.

“What am I doing here? I heard you crying and came to investigate. Only to find out you don’t have a heartbeat!” Her voice was raised at him, which caused him to panic more. Though, she was quiet enough that nobody would be able to hear her aside from him, the realization at what she said had still slapped hard, but she wasn’t done. She only continued to speak.

“How are you even alive right now?” She moved closer to him to place a hand on his chest again, wanting to confirm what she felt, but he carefully held her hand in his own and moved it away. MC took a mental note at how he wasn’t calming down. She should focus on that rather than her own questions.

“I.. I shouldn’t say… You’d hate me.” MC had carefully untangled her hand away from his own. He seemed too caught up in his fear to notice what was going on now, that was even more worrying to her. 

He was leaned up against the back of the bed near the wall, trembling hard. Whatever was running through his mind was a complete mystery to her, but the first thing she did was take off his mask. She carefully guided one of her hands towards the mask and pulled it off, revealing the other side of his face. She placed the mask on the table next to the bed, where it would stay for the rest of the evening. She then wrapped both of her arms around him, pulling his head close to her chest again.

He snapped out of his thoughts and tried to pull away, but her grasp around him was firm, he wouldn’t be able to escape. All he could do was listen to the slow rhythm of her own heartbeat, which slowly but surely resulted in him relaxing. When his breathing finally managed to even out, she let go, allowing him to move freely, but he didn’t. He stayed where he was, too drowsy to move. He was being lulled to sleep again.

“Ray.. I need to go back to my room now. It's late.” She spoke quietly to the male, who made no effort to move. He only murmured too quietly to hear in response, before she tried to move away. He immediately wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to keep her from moving. His grip on her was weak, she could’ve easily escaped if she wanted to.

“No… don’t go. Stay.” His voice was thick with sleep, he was barely holding onto consciousness. She hummed, thinking to herself for a moment before nodding, moving away slightly so she could bury herself under the blankets. 

His grip on her weakened further, until he had completely let go. He was snoring quietly now, having fallen asleep. It didn’t take her long before she fell asleep next to him, her arms wrapped around him protectively.


	5. Supernatural

There was a soft chirp of birds coming from the outside, yet the sun had not entered the room. MC rubbed her eyes, sitting up and looking in the direction of the windows with a tired stare. The windows were covered by curtains, refusing to allow sunlight to enter the room they were in. She sat up, her head pounding for a few seconds, before she noticed the boy still sleeping next to her. She carefully leaned over him to turn on the lamp that was sitting on the bedside table next to him, making sure not to shake or disturb his sleep. 

As the light turned on, she had a better view of who was sleeping next to her. He was still ghostly pale, with dark bags under his eyes that didn’t seem to go away no matter how much he slept. At first glance, he looked dead, but MC knew that wasn’t the case. What really mattered was how he was alive. She thought back to fictional stories, how there were monsters like zombies and vampires who were considered undead but still alive. Despite being fiction, she’s always wondered if they were real. Then it hit her.

His ghostly pale skin, the way he carries an umbrella with him whenever he goes outside during the day, his old fashioned outfits. The way he looked at her when they bumped into each other at night, as though he were hungry. The way he only came out at night, never to be seen during the day. No heartbeat. 

Vampire.

She rolled away from him, not noticing how she was already on her edge of the bed. She fell onto the floor, promptly leaving a loud thud as she came in contact with the hard wood. She could hear a groan coming from the other side of the bed, the sheets moving around until a bright pair of mint eyes were looking at her from on top of the bed. She smiled awkwardly, moving to stand up before brushing herself off.

“You fell off the bed.” His voice was hoarse, like he was thirsty. She tried pushing the thought from her mind, he wouldn’t try anything like that. 

“I fell off the bed.” She confirmed, sighing. She put a hand over her face, mimicking a facepalm but not really slapping her hand onto her face like you would during a facepalm.

“Why?” He questioned her, not bothering to get out of bed like MC was. He looked so tired, even after having fallen asleep with her next to him the night before.

“Are you a vampire?” She blurted out, not bothering to answer his question. In a way, it was an answer to her, as that’s what caused her to roll off the bed. She just needed that confirmation from him, one word.

He was silent for a long while, staring intensely at her. She couldn’t tell what was running through his mind at that moment. His gaze was lost in thought, before he was snapped out of it shortly after. He shook his head before raising his index finger slowly, putting it on his lips like he was telling her to be quiet. 

“...I am.” He was so quiet she could hardly hear him. That was the confirmation she needed. At that moment she could feel her whole world change. The perception of fiction and reality she had before was long gone, she was only further confused.

“How?” She had to ask. The question was burning in the back of her mind like a wildfire. He averted his gaze, looking apologetic for a brief moment before looking back at her.

“I don’t remember. All I have are nightmares that tell me nothing.” He whispered. MC looked at him like he was a lost puppy. She moved closer to him, embracing him in a hug again, similar to how it was the night before. 

His breathing hitched, but he made no attempt to move away. He looked far more relaxed than he did just a moment ago, which was a good sign. She stood like that, with him in her arms for a short while, before she decided to say something. 

“I’ll help you find those memories, if you wish.” He broke himself out of her arms, scattering away to his edge of the bed, before realizing he might fall off and stopping. There was an expression of fear looming over him, making MC regret what she had said.

“That’s nice but.. It might be better without them.” He looked sad, as though he actually wanted the memories but knew it was better if he didn’t have them. MC moved to hold her hand out to him, but put it down, not wanting to bother him further.

MC had heard him yawn, and that was her cue. She turned around and walked towards the door, to Ray’s horror. He moved to get up and pull her back to the bed, but he realized that it was day, and stopping her from leaving would mean she’d have to stay in the dark with him for hours, until he woke up at night. He stopped, watching as she placed her hand on the knob to turn it.

“Leaving so soon?” He looked to the bedside table and noticed his mask was there. She must’ve taken it off while he was panicking, he didn’t notice it was gone. 

She could see his full face now, like the day they had first met. It felt like years ago, but it was only a few weeks. Oh, how time flies when you’re working.

“Afraid so, I do have to make sure I’m doing my work, you know.” She gave him a reassuring smile before opening the door and leaving him in the room, left alone with nothing but his thoughts and the darkness. 

It didn’t take him too long for him to fall back asleep, his mind filled with thoughts at how she had figured out his identity as a vampire. He was almost worried, worried that she would abandon him. He hugged his pillow tightly, not allowing those thoughts to constrict his mind.


	6. Weaker

He seemed weaker each time they had managed to bump into each other. The events of the night she had stayed with him were still fresh in MC’s mind, always coming back into her thoughts as she lay restless during the night, unable to sleep. She turned to look out the window from her bed, watching as the occasional bird flew by in the night, its shadow enlarged in the room as it covered the moon, blocking the light from entering her room. The garden was as peaceful as ever, never changing. It always seemed perfectly groomed and clean, even though she’s never once seen somebody out there maintaining it.

She sat up in bed, moving her legs so they were hanging over the her edge of the bed. She slid on her shoes, which were neatly placed next to her bedside table, and brushed her hair to the best of her ability before leaving the room for yet another adventure through the halls of the mansion she has come to accustom herself to. Taking a right, she walked down the hall until she faced the doors leading out to the garden. She could feel a pair of eyes watching her as she opened the door and walked out into the cold air, bitter and fresh in comparison to the air within the mansion.

MC had realized just how much time had passed since she first arrived here. Months, and now Christmas was coming around. The holiday everyone seemed to love, with a spirit that lasts the entire month of December. People cozying up in front of decorated fireplaces with a cup of hot chocolate and a book, others singing Christmas carols, or listening to Christmas themed songs on the radio, or at home having dinner with their immediate family, talking about their day and what had happened. It was the best time of year to meet with relatives, yet MC wouldn’t be able to.

She was here, at this mansion in the middle of nowhere, with a vampire who never comes to see her unless it’s accidental. She wondered why he acted like that, always avoiding her at any cost. Though the mansion was grand and large, it felt very empty. Despite the large number of people populating the mansion, she only knew Ray, a mysterious figure who shares nothing. It was lonely, and she found herself often bored, despite the task she was given, playing the messenger game and gathering information on the characters. She made her way to the fountain in the center of the garden, promptly sitting down and watching the still garden be illuminated by moonlight. Fireflies would fly around every so often, giving the place a mystical appearance.

That’s when she heard somebody walking towards her, sitting down next to her on the fountain with a frown. She knew who it was, but she didn’t bother to say anything. He didn’t bring the umbrella with him this time, only choosing to clasp his hands together and hunch over. She felt herself relax a bit in his presence, his resolve was just a little calming. Though something crossed MC’s mind at that moment. 

“Are you sick? You’ve been looking weaker each day I’ve seen you.” She had asked him quietly, looking at him with an intense stare filled with concern.

“No, I’m not sick don’t worry.” She watched as his hands trembled a little. Her worry and concern over him grew more. He looked visibly uncomfortable at the question.

“..What’s wrong, then?” She asked more seriously, her expression telling him all he needed to know.

“I’m… hungry. For lack of a better word.” He looked sad. MC connected the dots immediately, just a little bit of fear taking over her. He seemed to notice, and distanced himself further from MC. 

“I wouldn’t. Not without your permission. I’m not a monster.” He murmured. He was trying to reassure her, watching as whatever tension she had relax and go away at his words. He didn’t try to move himself closer to her again, sitting like this was better for him.

“Is there… another way than biting a person’s neck?” Ray had looked at her with a pained expression. He shifted closer to the edge of the fountain wall, looking ready to run away, MC had scooted a little closer to him, to prevent that from happening.

“Well… yes. There’s the wrist.. Or donations but I… don’t like the taste of it.” He said like he was ashamed. A vampire who didn’t like to drink blood, MC didn’t expect that from him at all.

“What if you were given permission?” She could see out of the corner of her eye that the sun was slowly beginning to rise. Ray didn’t have protection from it. He’d burn if he stayed outside for much longer like they are now.

“No! You don’t understand it’s just.. wrong. I can’t do it.” He almost fell back into the fountain in shock. He was watching the sky carefully, monitoring the sun as though it would strike when he looked away. He fumbled with the sleeve of his black suit, looking nervous.

“If you insist. You should go now, the sun is rising.” The sky was beginning to grow from dark to a light purple hue, the sun showing slightly through the horizon. 

He immediately stood up and ran in the direction of the building, avoiding any spots of sunlight that were littered around the area. She stood up slowly after, watching as he had disappeared into the distance before turning in the opposite direction, walking back to her room.

When she made it she took off her shoes, laying in bed and thinking about yet another time she spent time with him in the garden. She raised a hand up in the air towards the ceiling and let it drop onto her face, groaning before falling asleep. 

She was becoming as much of a night owl as a vampire, gaining an almost nocturnal sleep schedule.


	7. Burns

There was a soft knock at her door one evening. It was light, almost too quiet to hear from where she was laying on her bed, finishing a chatroom that had opened just a few minutes before. It sounded like the person knocking was hardly touching the door with their knuckles, as though they were scared. She was curious, and rolled out of bed, walking towards the door. MC took a sharp inhale before swinging the door open, revealing a paler Ray who had his hand balled into a fist, raised to knock on the door again. He looked surprised at her aggressive way at opening the door. She quickly moved out of the way so he could enter the room.

“Ray, I wasn’t expecting to see you here of all places.” She rubbed the back of her neck, looking apologetic at swinging the door open and startling him.

“I… had something important to say, but I forgot.” His face was flushed red, MC couldn’t help but notice as she watched him enter the room. 

One half of his face was covered with the mask, but MC could see the familiar appearance of somebody who was feverish. She waited for a moment, watching him carefully, before closing the door behind her and sitting on her bed. She patted a spot on the comforter next to her, a silent beckon for him to sit down next to her. He caught the cue and moved to sit down on the bed, looking uncomfortably hot. 

“You look overheated, are you alright?” She had questioned, subtle enough not to hint towards what could be a fever. The room was cold due to the winter, him being hot would be seen as an oddity.

“Ah, yes, I’m fine. It’s just a little hot in here. Is it just me?” MC thought the way he spoke was suspicious, not normal for someone like him.

He had averted his eyes again, a habit he’s had since she first met him. He seemed to be more comfortable around her, always relaxing whenever they’ve crossed paths in the hall, or in the garden where they’ve talked numerous times. She shook the thoughts out of her mind.

“It is just you. Are you genuinely sure you’re alright?” She pressed him further. 

There were dark bags under his eyes, made far more prominent than before due to his much paler complexion. His hands were trembling just slightly, almost unnoticeable to the naked eye. But MC had watched, she was staring him over. The way his forehead glistened in the light just slightly due to the sweat that had found its way there, his face flushed red from the heat. The weakness that came from his starvation was doubled since the last time she had seen him.

“Really, I’m fine. Please do not worry.” He smiled awkwardly. 

Ray had tried to unbutton his suit jacket, feeling as though that was the thing that was making him the most hot. He struggled with getting the first few buttons undone, as his hands were shaking an incredible amount. MC had moved closer to him and unbuttoned the jacket for him, not wanting to watch him struggle with unbuttoning it further. Underneath was a white collared dress shirt, which looked like it had been freshly ironed in the morning, ready for a new day of making its wearer appear serious, and business-like.

“You should at least lay down and rest, for me.” MC had tried convincing him, hoping he’d at least listen to her. 

She can see through his mask of lies, yet he refuses to admit defeat. MC only grew more frustrated at how stubborn he was being.

“I would, really. But the savior requests I work, I can’t let anything get in the way of that.” He stood up off the bed, almost toppling over in the process.

MC had stood slightly over the bed, ready to catch him if he had fallen over trying to get up. Her expression was filled with worry and suspicion at how he was acting, but she chose not to say anything. She had stood up completely and tried to guide him back to her bed, but he had refused and lightly pushed her away. Opening his mouth to speak, MC had just noticed the abnormally sharp canines. She tried not to let them distract her. 

“Please MC, the work is really important.” He had stressed to her. He looked worried, almost pleading her to let him go. 

MC had only raised an eyebrow at him. Backing away just slightly. He took that as a sign that he could go, yet something was off. He was feeling so lightheaded from the heat. The world was spinning around him. He couldn’t stop himself from wavering back and forth while standing still, trying to resist the urge to fall down and collapse then and there, in front of MC. He shook his head in an attempt to rid it of the light feeling, deciding to take a step forward. 

He took one step forward. He staggered to the left. He took another step forward, he staggered to the right. The next step, he fell forward, his vision going blurry. The last thing he saw was that someone was keeping him from hitting the ground, before his vision had gone completely black. Having passed out, never making it out the door.

MC had caught him just before he had fallen to the ground. She held him tightly in her arms, refusing to fall forward himself, due to how unprepared she was in having to catch him. She carefully moved her arms around, so they came around him from behind and held him tightly at the chest, before dragging him towards her bed. He was so hot to the touch, making her worry even more than she was when she first saw his appearance just a few minutes ago.

She had placed him on her side of the bed, covering him with the comforter and taking off that familiar white mask that covered half of his face yet again. Though, this time, MC couldn’t stop a gasp that had come from her at the sight that was underneath.

A large burn, one that looked like it had come from a brilliant flame, nearly covered the entire left side of his face, only stopping near his eye.


	8. Blood

MC had covered the various burns he had on the left side of his body with bandages, to prevent infection, and to hopefully cause Ray less pain than he was already in. His fever had only gotten worse, and as the days flew by MC had noticed that the burns weren’t healing. She had cleaned them each day, yet they never showed improvement. She grew worried, her attention never faltering from him.

She put a hand on his forehead, checking his temperature before dipping a face cloth in a little bucket filled with cold water. She had wringed it out, causing the towel to lose most of the water it had, resulting in a damp towel. She had folded the damp face cloth into a rectangle shape, placing it gently on his forehead. His breathing was pained, irregular as he had slept through the days without waking up. She stood up from where she was sitting next to him, leaving the room with the bucket of water in hand, wanting to fill it up again.

She walked out to the bathroom next door, opening the door and closing it behind her. She looked at herself in the mirror for a brief moment, catching her reflection. She had looked nearly as pale as him, with dark bags under her eyes. She had hardly slept since he had collapsed, her energy focused on taking care of him until he awoke. The water faucet had been turned on, the cold water leaving it like a small waterfall. She had put her hand under the water to test it before placing the bucket underneath the cold liquid.

The bucket was full by the time she had turned the faucet off, that was when she took the bucket and walked back to her bedroom. The bucket handle was strained by the weight of the new water, MC was worried it would snap, spilling the water everywhere. She opened the door, softly closing it behind her before looking towards the bed.

Ray was awake, though hardly. He had sat up, a grimace on his face at the pain coming from the left side of his body. He looked half asleep, though her presence had caused him to open his mouth slightly to speak, before closing it again. He was too weak to properly move, MC was surprised he was even able to sit up on the bed.

“You’re awake.” She had walked closer to him slowly. Her volume was close to a whisper, not wanting to worsen the headache she could see Ray was silently complaining about.

He had placed a hand to his head, looking as though his head were about to explode. She had placed the bucket down and grabbed a bottle of pills. MC opened it and tipped the top of the bottle onto her hand, allowing two pills to fall out before she closed the bottle again, hiding it in the drawer of the bedside table. She handed him a glass of water she had sitting on top of the table, giving him the pills next. 

She watched him take the pills and relax a little more, before he decided to try and speak again.

“You.. look so pale.” He coughed out. A harsh coughing fit followed, shaking his entire form. 

“I know.” She had nodded in acknowledgement. It made her heart sad, knowing that was the first thing he had noticed in her. Even now, severely ill and bed ridden, he cared more for her than himself.

“Ray, how did you get those scars?” She continued from where she had left off, indicating towards the bandages he had all over his body.

His eyes widened, gently raising his left hand to his face, just realizing the bandages that had been wrapped around his arm. He placed the same hand to his face, gently touching where she had to wrap bandages around his head to cover up where the burn was below his eye. He allowed his hand to fall back down to his lap, the pain of his wounds and illness overtaking him again.

MC had to place a hand on his chest lightly, pushing him back down so he wasn’t sitting up. His expression was one of protest, opening his mouth to speak but unable to say anything. He just allowed himself to relax from his position laying down, but he could feel the burns grow worse.

“My escape from the garden. I was too late. The sun..” He paused. His throat was sore, talking was hard. 

“Is there a way to heal it? It won’t heal. Ray, they looked really bad.” MC had blabbered on, not allowing him to finish. She didn’t want to lose him to burns, he was her company in this large, empty place in the middle of nowhere.

“Blood. But I refuse. I’d rather die.” He frowned, wincing again. He looked like he could pass out at any minute, his sentences were short, the words he needed to use to express himself were gone, out of his mind.

“Ray please, it’s better than dying, I can’t lose you.” She stressed. She shook him just slightly to keep him awake, a small bit of her felt angry that he wouldn’t listen to her pleas. 

“I can’t, MC. Please, don’t do this to me..” He once again refused. MC’s expression grew to one of mild frustration. She was allowing her anger to get the better of her, she needed to calm down.

“Ray.. it’s for the best. It’ll be once, why are you so against it?” She had decided that asking questions might help calm her down. But the white haired male in front of her had only fed her anger more.

“I know… but I can’t. I just can’t.” He could see a singular tear glisten on MC’s cheek. It fell, and with it, MC had snapped.

She had stood up from her chair, remembering something she had told him earlier, at the garden. She rolled up the sleeve of her shirt, revealing her wrist. She had stood over him, watching as his eyes widened as he realized what she was trying to do. He tried to move away, but he was too weak, all he could do was lean back into the pillows, with a silent refusal to comply with what she wanted him to do.

“Look, Ray. I know you don’t want to, but you have my full permission. Please, for my sake, eat.” She had held her wrist out to him, expecting him to take it.  
He slowly moved his head away, like a child who was refusing to eat his vegetables over dinner. MC had hated to be so forceful on him, the possibility of him hating her after this was over hung over her mind. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to anger him. MC then pressed her wrist against his lips, looking at him with an almost angry expression.

“How many times… do I have to tell you?” He responded, his mumbling was muffled by her arm. 

“I don’t care anymore. Bite. Now!” She had almost yelled at him. Her voice was raised, Ray had only flinched. His gaze was fixed on her wrist, which was up to his face.

He stared at her apologetically, wanting to decline again, but her sense of urgency had shocked him. She looked serious, her arms were betraying her by shaking. He put his arms behind him, attempting to push himself up against the back of the bed again, like he was when she had entered the room. He had taken longer than he thought, as his arms were weak and unable to hold himself up. MC had noticed what he was trying to do and wrapped her arms around him, helping him to lean against the bed frame. 

“Well?” She had looked angry, but her voice had betrayed her as well. It cracked, giving him the impression that she was scared.

“Why are you scared?” Ray had asked MC, looking up to her with tired eyes. He didn’t have much more time, he could feel himself growing more dizzy and hot with pain as time dragged on. 

“I just. Can’t lose you. Not like this.” MC looked away. Ray looked at her neck, which was covered partly by the collared shirt she was wearing.

By dying, he’d make MC angry, and that was the last thing he wanted.

MC had followed his gaze to her neck and raised an eyebrow at him. A silent question that she expected Ray to know the answer to. He nodded to her slowly, his gaze was sad, filled with guilt. She sat back down, leaning towards him while unbuttoning her collar, a determined stare filled her expression. She rolled her sleeve back down, covering the wrist she had tried to get him to bite into. When she was close enough, he had held her face in his hands like it was glass, gentle with his touch, fragile. He looked at her again, straight into her eyes, shaking with fear.

“I’m sorry.. I’m so sorry.” He had muttered as he quickly looked away and bit into her neck.

It felt like she was being pierced by a knife, though the pain had subsided shortly. She had gripped the sleeve of her shirt tightly as he began to take blood, almost like he’s been starving for days and was presented with food for the first time. The more he took, the weaker she could feel herself become, the grip on the sleeve loosening, until she no longer had the strength to hold it.

Her vision was blacking out, her face was pale. The minute Ray had pulled away, he had noticed what was happening.  
The last thing MC had seen before falling unconscious was Ray’s panicked face.


	9. Recovery

MC had woken up with a splitting headache, the pain being the first thing she felt. She immediately put a hand up to her head, willing the headache to go away, before opening her eyes. Her vision was blurry at first, but closing them again and rubbing them with her hands had cleared it up. The first thing she noticed was Ray, who was wearing the familiar white mask that covered the left side of his face, sitting next to her, his eyes filled with guilt and worry. 

MC had opened her mouth to speak, but nothing had come out. She had then noticed that the curtains were closed behind him, the only real light source in the room being the lamp sitting on the bedside table. It was day, she could see how the curtains glowed, trying to hide the sunlight, but why Ray was awake next to her was a mystery.

Then she saw the dark bags under his eyes, that had only seemed to worsen since the last time she had seen him. He had looked so exhausted, like sleeping had evaded him for days. The slow bob of his head before he picked it up again had told her that he was beginning to fall asleep, before he noticed MC had woken up from the deep slumber she was in. MC took a minute to connect the dots, before trying to sit up. She looked at him curiously, expecting an answer for what had happened.

“I’m so glad you’re awake…” Was all he had said, his voice choked as tears began to gather under his eye and fall onto his hands, which were laid neatly on his lap. He let his head fall, unable to speak further.

“Ray… Don’t cry. What happened?” Her voice was hoarse from disuse, but she had to ask. 

MC wanted nothing more to get up and comfort him, embracing him in a hug or giving him a kiss on the cheek, but the feeling of lightheadedness that lingered in her had told her it was better to stay in bed.

“I took too much… you-” He cut himself off. MC looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 

“I what?” She had asked him in return, trying to hear the rest of the story. His crying had caused a pang of pain in her chest.

“You passed out due to blood loss… I thought I lost you, you had me so.. So scared.” He answered her question. MC took a small gasp, remembering just what had happened.

She raised a hand to her neck, only to find that the bite was covered by gauze. The man sitting in front of her looked so guilty, his whole appearance was disheveled and messy compared to what MC was used to seeing. How his clothes were always neatly ironed and fit to his form perfectly, how his hair was brushed neatly away from his face, only a few strands covering the white mask on his face. 

Then she remembered his burns, the ones that had nearly killed him.

She looked at where his mask was. The left side of his face, right where one of the burns were located. Ray had followed her gaze to his mask before taking it off, revealing a large scar where the burn had been. She then noticed all of the other scars on the left side of his neck, and on his left hand, forgetting that she had to take care of each wound carefully before he woke up. She gently raised a hand to touch the scar, making sure not to press too hard. She cupped his cheek in her hand shortly after watching how it didn’t hurt him, wiping away what tears were still underneath his eyes.

“They’re healed now..” She had whispered softly to him.

Ray had leaned into her touch just lightly, raising one of his hands to cover the one on his left cheek. He had taken a deep breath, but all MC could focus on was how cold his hands were, even with gloves on. It was chilling against her warm hand, but it wasn’t unwelcome. She waited for him to speak, the way he looked at her had said he had something to say.

“They are. They… healed really quickly, but the scars will remain.” He looked at her sadly. He saw how MC couldn’t keep her eyes away from them.

He felt so ugly, not even the mask could hide the monster behind it. He let the hand that held hers fall back onto his lap, the sadness that remained from crying still plaguing him and his thoughts. MC had watched his expression change so drastically at the mention of his scars. She retreated her hand away from his cheek, but not before rubbing it softly with her thumb. His cheeks had flushed pink just a little, before covering the left half of his face again with the familiar mask. As a result, he had covered the view of his scar.

“You are too hard on yourself, my dear Ray. Once I feel a bit better, how about we go outside for a picnic? A dinner at night between me and you.” She had suggested to him.

It looked like his face had lit up at the thought of spending time with her. The thought that he could get burnt again ran through his mind quickly, but he had pushed it away. Opting to think about the positives. Being able to sit and relax with her in the garden, watching the fireflies illuminate the flowers and give them a sight they’d never be able to see while the sun was high into the sky. Sitting at the fountain and sharing food cooked by him, it was all a dream come true. 

“I would love to, my princess.” He smiled, for what seemed like the first time in years.

It wasn’t forced, it wasn’t strained or covering the stress behind it. It was a genuine smile from Ray, one that was as rare as a blue moon.

MC couldn’t resist but to smile back at him, her own face blushing light pink just slightly, enough that Ray wouldn’t be able to notice.


	10. Fireflies

She had grabbed a brown turtleneck sweater from the closet, pulling it over her head and putting it on before brushing her hair. MC had looked at herself with confidence, a small basket wrapped with a small bow was resting on top of the small table in the corner of her room. She exited the bathroom of her room before grabbing the basket, leaving the room and entering the darkness of the halls of Magenta for the first time in what felt like weeks.

Ray had fawned over her as she recovered from what had happened. All that remained of the bite was a small scar on her neck, which was easily covered by the various sweaters he had bought her to wear as the winter season flew by. She looked out each individual window as she walked down the hall, the basket of gifts in her hand. The snow that had fallen the night before covered the ground in a thick layer of sparkly white, nearly matching Ray’s hair color. She stopped walking in front of a door leading out to the familiar garden she’s come to acquaint herself with during her stay. She pushed against the door and walked outside, the bite of the cold, crisp winter air hitting her face in sharp contrast to the heated hallways.

She walked further into the garden, following the path and gawking over some of the flowers before finally making it to the fountain in the center of the garden. The water in it was frozen, unmoving, unlike the person who was sitting on the wall, in the same spot he would always sit at while talking to her. She approached him and placed her gift down next to him, right where he could see it. He had smiled again at her, taking the basket and placing on his lap with such care. She then proceeded to sit next to him, admiring the fireflies that had lit up the garden with radiance.

“You’ve made it okay, that’s good.” Ray had hummed in delight.

MC had made a mental note at how much happier Ray had seemed since that day. He looked so much brighter and full of life, something she hadn’t seen in him before. She couldn’t resist a smile as he first smiled at her while slowly unwrapping his gift. When he lifted the cover of the basket off, he was greeted with food that was still steaming hot, cooked by MC before coming to the garden. He had taken it out of the basket and handed it to her carefully, so as not to burn himself. 

“Of course I made it, I wouldn’t want to miss out on a date like this.” She grinned, handing him back the food after he had lifted the basket and placed it next to him rather than on his lap.

“A.. A d...date.” He had stuttered, his face flushed a bright pink color almost immediately. 

“A date.” She had confirmed, which had only made the pink on his cheeks grow into a deeper shade, close to red.

“You’re too kind to me, MC… I really can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.” Ray had looked away from her. 

“You’ve done so much for me, Ray. It’s the least I can do.” She had responded to him, giving him direct eye contact to know she was serious. He had to look away, unable to handle it.

He looked at the food for a brief minute before taking the silverware out of the basket and digging into it, taking a bite of it as soon as he thought he had enough on his fork. MC watched in delight as his face lit up, having immediately moved to take more from the plate. She had clapped her hands together softly, watching as he continued to take more from the plate until it was completely empty. He leaned slightly back, careful not to fall into the fountain, his expression filled with delight at her cooking.

“MC, I didn’t know you could cook like that…” He looked over to her, his gaze was gentle, she could see that he was genuinely trying to compliment her.

“I learned from the chefs, I’m glad you enjoyed it!” She exclaimed, standing up to put what remained back into the basket.

Ray had insisted he helped, refusing to let her take the plate from him as he placed it carefully back into the basket, the silverware following shortly after. MC didn’t care for the ribbon, she had allowed Ray to keep it, watching as he wrapped it around his wrist like a bracelet. She had laughed, which in return made Ray’s heart soar. He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly, as though letting go meant death.

“You cannot understand… Just how much I appreciate having you here with me tonight.” He had whispered into her ear, letting his arms fall and removing them from around her. 

He had backed away, and held onto the basket that was left alone. He stood up and turned to the direction of his workspace, the information room. Before he could take another step forward, he felt a hand grab his own, preventing him from leaving the garden. He had turned around with his elbow raised questioningly at MC, who had stopped him.

“MC, did you need so-” He was cut off by her.

“I appreciate you too, Ray. Please, don’t overwork yourself, alright?” She looked up to him with such determination, it had him shocked. 

He opened his mouth to say something, but words evaded him. He ended up nodding, a silent yes to MC, before she decided that was a good answer for her. She let go of his hand, watching as he walked further into the distance, back towards where he worked. She watched as he paused at the door, turning his head to look at her from where he was standing.

“I promise, I’ll try not to overwork myself.”

And like that, he had opened the door and was back to working.

MC had once again turned to the other direction, back to her room, her thoughts raging on with her date with Ray at the garden.

And for the first time in what felt like months, she was finally able to sleep on her own.


End file.
